Tidbits Of South Bay - Issue #020 by Tidbits - Denver Metro Area

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Bored? Want to have some fun? Here are some tricks and experiments you can use to amaze your friends – or even just to amuse yourself. • Want to “launder” your money? Pour about two teaspoons of lemon juice into a small glass. Then drop a tarnished penny into the glass and let it soak for five minutes. When you remove the penny, it will be shiny. The acidity of the lemon juice removes the dull copper oxide coating on the coin. • Ever wanted to try “curds and whey” like Little Miss Muffet? You can. Pour one cup of milk into a jar and add 1/3 cup of vinegar. The thick gunk at the bottom of the jar? They’re curds; the liquid floating on top is the whey. And, yes, they’re rather icky. • You can wash your hands like Dracula with a few simple ingredients. You’ll need one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, two laxative pills, and a bar of soap. Carefully pour the alcohol into a small dish, then mash the pills and add them to the alcohol. Rub the mixture on your hands and let it dry. Now wash your hands with soap and water. The soapy water will turn a bright blood red color due to the alkali in the soap mixing with the phenolphthalein in the laxative. Bwahahahaha! • Did you know that your nose is almost as important as your tongue when it comes to the sense of taste? Try this: grate part of a peeled potato, and then grate a bit of a peeled apple. Keep your nose pinched shut, and have someone feed you a spoonful of each, one at a time. You likely won’t be able to tell which is which. By itself, the tongue can only detect salty, sweet, bitter and sour tastes. turn the page for more!

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Tidbits® of South Bay Area

Page 2 TRY THIS AT HOME (continued)

• Can you split a string in two parts without touching it? You can if it’s a bright, sunny day. Take a four-inch length of string and tape the center of it to the inside of a jar lid. Then screw the lid onto the empty jar so that the ends of the string are suspended inside. Now go outside and focus the rays of the Sun onto the string with a magnifying glass. Within a few minutes, the intensified heat will burn through the string. • You can also use a string to pick up an ice cube, without touching the ice. Place the ice cube on a flat surface, and then sprinkle some table salt on top of it. Take a length of string and lay it across the top of the ice cube. Wait three to five minutes. The salt will lower the freezing point of the ice and slightly melt the surface, which will saturate the string. After a few minutes, the ice will re-freeze with the string embedded in it, and you’ll be able to lift it by picking up the string. • If you need to drip some non-toxic liquid but can’t find a medicine dropper, a drinking straw will work. Carefully suck up the liquid into the straw, then quickly remove it from your mouth and cover the open top of the straw with your finger. The liquid will remain vacuumed up inside the straw until you lift your finger. With a little bit of practice, you can learn how far (and how quickly) to lift your finger in order to dispense the liquid a single drop at a time. • Lemon juice can be used as invisible ink. Just pour some lemon juice into a small saucer. Add a few drops of water and mix well. Now dip a cotton swab into the mixture and use it as a “pen” to write a message on a plain white piece of paper. Let the page dry. Your writing will be invisible until you heat it (try holding it close to a light bulb). Citrus fruit juices contain carbon compounds which break down when exposed to heat. • You can build a tiny “motorboat” that won’t require batteries. Take a piece of aluminum foil and fashion a boat shape out of it. Slice a small piece off of a bar of soap, cut a small notch in it, and affix it to the back of your boat. Make sure the piece of soap touches the water once you’ve mounted it as an “outboard engine.” Now place your craft in a sink or tub full of water and watch it cruise! The soap disrupts the surface tension of the water, propelling the boat forward.

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Sep 19 - Sep 25, 2008

• Got a yen to get back to your pioneer roots? Try making your own bricks! First, place some ground clay (not modeling clay) into a bucket. Add some straw and enough water to turn the stuff into a doughy mixture. Then, place portions of the mixture into molds of some sort – cardboard juice boxes work well – and let them sit overnight in a warm place. Then, gently tear away the molds and let the bricks dry in the sun for several days. Voila! • Eggshells are surprisingly strong, and here’s how to prove it. Take the half-shells of two cracked eggs. Wrap some masking tape around the middle of each and then use scissors to trim the excess shell below the tape line so that the edges are even. (You’ll end up with four little bowl-shaped shell halves.) Then lay the shells out (flat side down) in a square. They should be soda. Stir the mixture with a soda straw able to hold up something moderately until the baking soda has dissolved. Keep heavy – like a coffee can. your balloon handy as you pour one table• H e r e ’ s spoon of lemon juice into the bottle; now a practiquickly fit the balloon over the mouth of cal way the bottle. The carbon dioxide that forms to demshould inflate the balloon. onstrate • Make your own musical instrument with centrifugal an empty soda bottle and a straw. Pour force. Take water into the bottle until it’s about threea plastic quarters full. Insert the straw into the botclothes hanger and loop it over your index tle as though you were going to take a sip. finger. Using your other hand, balance a Now blow across the top of the straw until coin on the bottom of the hanger, directly you hear a sound. You can even raise and under your supporting finger. Once the lower the bottle as you blow to make difcoin is balanced, swing the hanger genferent tones! tly back and forth on your finger. You can • If you try any of these experiments, eneventually increase the swing so that the sure that you have the correct materials hanger circles all the way around your finand containers before you begin. And use ger. The coin should stay in place as long common sense when handling items that as you keep the hanger spinning. could potentially prove hazardous. Scis• Can you blow up a balloon without using sors can cut, lemon juice can burn the any lung power? Sure you can. Pour one eyes, and drinking straws can be ingested ounce of water into an empty soft drink if you draw too hard. (Yes, it’s happened bottle and add one teaspoon of baking before.) Just stay alert and have fun!

3Q08 - WEEK 38 SEP 14 - SEP 20

Sep 19 - Sep 25, 2008

Tidbits® of South Bay Area PRESENTS TRIVIA NEWSFRONT™ by Kara Kovalchik & Sandy Wood

• On Sept. 16, 1620, the Mayflower sails from Plymouth, England, bound for Virginia with 102 passengers. However, stormy weather and navigational errors forced the Mayflower off course, and on Nov. 21 the “Pilgrims” reached Massachusetts. • On Sept. 18, 1793, George Washington lays the cornerstone to the United States Capitol building, the home of the legislative branch of American government. The building would take nearly a century to complete. • Sept. 19, 1827, after a duel turns into an all-out brawl, Jim Bowie stabs a banker in Alexandria, La., with an early version of his famous Bowie knife. The actual inventor of the Bowie knife, however, was probably not Jim Bowie, but rather his equally belligerent brother, Rezin Bowie. • On Sept. 21, 1866, H.G. Wells, pioneer of science fiction, is born in Bromley, England. In 1895, Wells published his classic novel “The Time Machine.” The book was a success, as were his subsequent books “The Invisible Man” (1897) and “The War of the Worlds” (1898). • On Sept. 17, 1884, Judge Allen disposes of the 13 criminal cases on his Oakland, Calif., docket in only six minutes. Although he apparently set a new record for speed, defendants in Oakland’s criminal court did not stand much chance of gaining an acquittal. In a 40-year period at the turn of the century, only 1 defendant in 100 was acquitted. • On Sept. 15, 1954, the famous picture of Marilyn Monroe, laughing as her skirt is blown up by the blast from a subway vent, is shot during filming of “The Seven Year Itch.” The scene infuriated her husband, baseball star Joe DiMaggio, and the couple divorced shortly after. • On Sept. 20, 1973, in a highly publicized “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match, top women’s player Billie Jean King, 29, beats Bobby Riggs, 55, a former No. 1-ranked men’s player. Riggs, a selfproclaimed male chauvinist, had boasted that women were inferior. King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

1. What liquid can you add to baking soda to simulate a volcanic eruption? 2. Entomology, a science commonly practiced at home by kids, is the study of... what? 3. Estes is a leading manufacturer of equipment for what science-based hobby? 4. The AAPT provides services for teachers involved in what branch of science? 5. What long-running PBS science show has won several Emmy Awards since its 1974 premiere?

NUMBER PUZZLE

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT ANSWERS

Page 3

1. vinegar 2. insects 3. model rocketry 4. physics 5. Nova

ALWAYS FREE ALWAYS FUN

Weekly Funnies

As I was dropping my son off at daycare Fill in the grid so that every column, every row, the other day, I overheard some of the chiland every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. dren talking about their siblings. “My brother takes karate lessons,” bragged one. “My sister takes gymnastics,” said another. Not to be outdone, the youngest piped up, “My sister takes antibiotics!” NUMBER A six-year-old ran up and down the superPUZZLE ANSWER market aisles shouting frantically, “Julie, Julie!” Finally he was 2 8 5reunited 7 1 4with 6 his 3 mother, 9 chided by her, “You shouldn’t call me ‘Julie.’ 9 6Mother.” 5 8 2“I know,” said After 7all,1 I 4am3 your the child, 5 4is 7full1of mothers.” 3 6 “but 9 8the2store A little boy had been pawing over a statio3 8of 6greeting 7 2 9cards 1 4for some time ner’s5stock when1 a 9clerk 6 5asked, 4 3 “Just 7 2 what 8 is it you’re looking for, sonny? Birthday greeting? Mes8 1 Anniversary 3 5 6 2 9friend? sage 4to 7a sick congratulations The boy 4 3mom 7 8and9 dad?” 5 6 2to 1your shook his head ‘no’ and answered wistful9 5anything 3 1 6in 8the2 line 4 of 7 blank report ly, “Got cards?” 8 4 7 2 5 9 1 6 3 A mother was trying to get her son to eat spinach (which he hated). He absolutely re. . . . . GOES fused to eatLONG it! So, thinking she would substitute another green vegetable that was just Measure your exact height before going to bed one evening, and just after waking up in the morning. as nutritious, she served her son asparagus. You may be an inch taller in the AM, since the vertebrae’s muscles relax and spreadatout. When her son looked his plate, he gasped in fright, “Oh, no, spinach legs!” Mom was telling her friend how she gets her son out of bed in the morning. “It’s really easy. I just open his door and toss the cat on his bed. He sleeps with his dog.” The young lady asked her betrothed, “What did my father say when you asked for permission to marry me?” “Not a lot, really,” replied the man. “He threw his arms around me, started sobbing, and kept saying, ‘Oh, Thank You. Thank You’.....” We were standing in line outside a busy restaurant. The harried hostess was checking to find out how many people were in each group. “Party of two,” the woman behind us said to her, “and could we please have Michelle?” Annoyed looks turned to knowing smiles when she added, “Michelle is my daughter, and just once in my life I want her to wait on me!”

3 6 9 6 5 2

1 6 8 2 8 4 7 5

continued on page 7

Tidbits® of South Bay Area

Page 4

Sep 19 - Sep 25, 2008

FOR WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2008 ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Aspects favor new romances for unpaired Ewes and Rams. Already-paired Arian twosomes experience renewed harmony in their relationships. Money matters also take a bright turn. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Use that strong Bovine determination to help you keep the faith with your convictions while you move through a period of uncertainty. Things begin to ease by the week’s end. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Pay attention to your intuition. It could be alerting you to be more careful about accepting a “statement of fact” simply on trust. Don’t be shy about asking for more proof. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Concern for the well-being of someone in need is admirable. But don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. Ask a family member, close friend or colleague to help you. LEO (July 23 to August 22) It’s OK to focus on the demands of your career. But try to avoid misunderstandings by also reaching out to family and friends. Your sharp intuitive sense kicks in by midweek. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Keep a rein on that green-eyed monster. Jealousy is counterproductive. Instead of resenting a colleague’s good points, concentrate on developing your own abilities. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Spending time on a creative project during this high-energy week can pay off both in emotional satisfaction and in impressing someone who is glad to see this side of you. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Now is a good time to start planning that trip you’ve put off because of the demands on your time. Be sure to choose a destination that is new and exciting. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) That upbeat mood in the first part of the week makes you eager to take on new ventures. A more serious note sets in later to help you assess an upcoming decision. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A high energy level gives the Goat the get-up-and-go to finish outstanding tasks before deadline, leaving time for wellearned fun and games with friends and family. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Dealing with disappointment is never easy. But the wise Aquarian will use it as a vital lesson and be the better for it. A close friend has something important to say. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Best bet is not to get involved in an argument between colleagues until you know more about who started it and why. And even then, appearances could be deceiving. Be alert. BORN THIS WEEK: You have creative gifts that inspire those who get to see this sometimes-hidden side of you. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

1. Tropic Thunder (R) Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. 2. The House Bunny (PG-13) Anna Faris, Colin Hanks 3. Death Race (R) Jason Statham, Joan Allen 4. The Dark Knight (PG-13) Christian Bale, Heath Ledger 5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (PG) animated 6. Pineapple Express (R) Seth Rogen, James Franco 7. Mirrors (R) Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton

“Death Race”

Running time: 105 minutes MPAA rating: R

“Death Race” is a remake of the 1970s cult classic “Death Race 2000.” The original was great campy fun. It was shot on a budget of about thirty bucks and looked it. What made “Death Race 2000” a great little movie is that everyone involved knew they were making a cheap exploitation flick and had big hoo-hah fun with the project.

8. The Longshots (PG) Ice Cube, Keke Palmer 9. Mamma Mia! (PG-13) Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgard 10. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (PG-13) Brendan Fraser, Jet Li (c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.

There is nothing fun about the new version. “Death Race” is directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, a man who never met a movie he didn’t puke all over. This is the clown responsible for the abysmal “Alien vs Predator.” I rest my case. The film stars Jason Statham as a guy named Ames who is framed for the murder of his family in order to get him to compete in the Death Race -- a payper-view goldmine where convicts race in super-charged, heavily armed cars. Only the winner survives. Win five races, win your freedom.

Chyrle Bacon Cowgirl Rope Artist Liven Up Your Next Event

The film also stars Joan Allen as Warden Hennessey. Why she took this gig is beyond all logic, but dang if she doesn’t chew up the scenery. Just watching her spew the most bizarre strings of vulgarity you will ever hear is the only redeeming parts of the picture. Not because it’s well-written, but because it’s so poorly written and spoken with such conviction that you just sit there cocking your head like a puppy that’s just heard a confusing sound.

Whether she’s doing trick rope spinning or whip cracking or gun twirling or getting people out of the audience she will captivate, amaze and truly entertain you.

The action scenes are a complete mess. Lot’s of blurry, shaky-cam jump cuts that confuse and frustrate viewers instead of thrilling them. The only way “Death Race” could’ve been worse is if Uwe Boll directed it. I can’t recommend this movie to anyone -- except people I hate.

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Sep 19 - Sep 25, 2008

Tidbits® of South Bay Area

Page 5

Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education & Recreation “Building a Healthy Community”

When Wildlife Gets Too Close

Preschool, Youth, Teens, Adult & 55+ Programs

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My neigh-

bor “Gladys” will put out food for any wild creature that happens by her back porch. I’m not talking about a few songbirds: She is putting out food for raccoons and squirrels, has a big block of salt in the back corner of her yard for deer, and who knows what else. I think this is dangerous because it makes these animals come into her neighbors’ yards looking for food, and they might hurt our pets or our kids! Should I report her to someone, like animal control? -- Anonymous but R PAGE 1Annoyed WEEK 38DEAR ANONYMOUS: Here’s a ques- SEP 20tion: Have A youMAZE talked toMENT Gladys about your concerns? I know the political mael2008.38 strom that is modern suburbia tends to Kara Kovalchik preclude this seemingly obvious step, or: Sandy Wood but it is important to find out if Gladys tors@sbcglobal.net even realizes that her actions could have negative consequences.

And by talking to her, I don’t mean standing in her line of sight while she’s outRTISING side and yelling “Nyah nyah, I’m telling WILL SUIT on you!” Save that for those tension-filled O A TEE. summer evenings after she blames you for the homeowners’ association letter asking her to stop -- but wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. First you have to ask her nicely. It’s the neighborly thing to do. Then you bring it up at the next HOA meeting. If the community agrees with you, a letter can be issued to Gladys by the homeowners’ association. Contacting animal control -- if there is

POWER no immediate danger -- should be done e this word: NUGGET OF only if Gladys does not respond to yours KNOWLEDGE or the HOA’s requests. The department

infraction (punishable K B E Emay issue a civil Chemistry sets are made legal by Kara Kovalchik & Sandy Wood

s: a flatontainer

by a fine) if they receive enough comfor sale in the United States plaints. Animal thanks control should always to an exemption to the be Substances Act.by an called if there is anHazard imminent threat Typically, a children’s “toy” animal, or if a pet or wild animal is in imwouldn’t be allowed to contain mediate need of any assistance. potentially hazardous

chemicals. But in the case of Send your tips, questions and comments items that bridge the gap POWER to Paws Corner,between c/o King Features entertainment andWeekSWER education. lawmakers ly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL didn’t wish to stand in 32853-6475, or e-mail them to pawscorner@ the way of science. hotmail.com.

KER GIVES TEACHER AN APPLE

Amy Winehouse . . . . 9/14/83 Prince Harry . . . . . . . 9/15/84 Peter Falk . . . . . . . . . 9/16/27 Rita Rudner. . . . . . . . 9/17/53

THIS WEEK’S CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Lance Armstrong. . . . 9/18/71 Twiggy. . . . . . . . . . . . 9/19/49 Guy Lafleur . . . . . . . . 9/20/51

1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby oyster called? 2. HISTORY: Which planet did William Herschel discover in 1781? 3. ENTERTAINERS: What was Stevie Wonder’s birth name? 4. GAMES: What is a “dead man’s hand” in poker?

FREE CONCERT - Sat., Sept. 20 • 5:00-7:00pm Los Gatos Oak Meadow Park Bandstand

5. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: Who once said, “There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide”?

Office location: 123 E. Main Street, Los Gatos visit us at www.lgsrecreation.org 408-354-8700 x221

6. COMICS: What is the emblem on Wonder Woman’s tiara?

• Earl Dickson invented the band-aid in 1921.

7. ADVERTISEMENTS: Which brew labeled itself as the “champagne” of bottled beer? 8. TELEVISION: What was the name of the youngest daughter on “The Cosby Show”? 9. MOVIES: In the Austin Powers movie series, who plays the role of Frau Farbissina? 10. SCIENCE: What part of the atmosphere is the closest to the Earth’s surface? Answers 1. A spat 2. Uranus 3. Stevland Hardaway Judkins 4. Pairs of black aces and eights 5. Ralph Waldo Emerson 6. A red star 7. Miller 8. Rudy 9. Mindy Sterling 10. The troposphere (c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.

Barrel of Knowledge • Leo Hendrik Baekeland invented the first true plastic (called Bakelite) and transformed the world. • Lewis Edson Waterman patented the first practical fountain pen in 1884. • The first commercial coin-operated vending machines were introduced in London, England, in the early 1880s. They dispensed post cards.

Need a new Pet Of The Week

best friend?

My name is Caramel. I’m a goofy gal in search of my forever home. I am still very much a puppy and act like one too. I’d really like to go to doggie school so I can learn my canine manners. . Sometimes I will try to be a lap dog and shower you with kisses. Please contact Casaundra Cruz at 408-727-3383 ext. 834. Call (408) 727-3383 or visit our website at www.hssv.org to adopt the above pet or any of the other wonderful pets available.

Tidbits® of South Bay Area

Page 6

MEDICAL MYSTERIES by Christopher Garrick

Doctors are busier than ever these days, and our appointments with them are so rushed that we never have time to ask the really important questions that perplex us.

Sep 19 - Sep 25, 2008

swimming in the ocean isn’t dangerous. In a desert island situation, however, where seawater is your only beverage, it’s better to wait for rain. The cells in our body aren’t equipped to metabolize the amount of salt in ocean water, and consuming enough of it (without any fresh water on the side) will eventually cause the kidneys to shut down.

• Can you actually lose a contact lens into the middle of your head? • Are canker sores contagious?

No. Doctors do get patients in the ER who No. Unlike cold sores, canker sores are panicked because they can’t find a can’t be transferred from one person to contact lens, but if the lens isn’t curled another. up and stuck under the eyelid, then it’s • Is it a good idea to put a raw slab of probably at home on your bathroom steak on a black eye? floor. The anatomy of the human eye Experts say that a cold pack will do makes it impossible for a lens to go just as well, and it’s no surprise that anywhere behind the eyeball. ice isn’t nearly as expensive as sirloin. • Does it help to suck the poison out The idea is to apply cold pressure to the of a snake bite like they show in old area to reduce pain and swelling. Also Westerns? it’s a good idea to avoid taking aspirin No. You could actually do more harm to relieve any associated pain. It’s an if you try this – after all, human saliva anticoagulant and will enlarge the visible is loaded with germs and could infect area of bruising around the eye. the wound. The American Red Cross recommends washing the bite area with soap and water and keeping it below heart level while on the way to the emergency room. • Why does my morning cup of coffee often send me to the bathroom? Caffeine is a stimulant. It speeds up many of your body’s internal systems, including those processes performed by the intestines and bowels. Nicotine has a similar affect, which is why a lot of folks rely on their morning cup of mud along with a cigarette. • Do I need to wait half an hour after eating before I can go swimming? There is no medical evidence to support this bit of advice. Once food reaches the stomach, it can take up to four hours to digest. Heavy exercise right after a meal can cause cramps, but unless you’re training for the Olympics, you shouldn’t have a problem.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

5. Orthotics: Your new sneakers or footwear should accommodate orthotic devices. If you use orthotic devices, I suggest you bring them to the store with you to have them properly fitted into your shoe. For those who do not know what orthotic devices are, ask a podiatrist.

6. Durability: Look at the overall aspect of the shoe. Inspect the material. Check the style of the shoe. If you exercise hard, There are many factors that contribute you change shoes every two to three to a successful fitness plan. One very months. The wear of your shoes causes important one is choosing the right foot- stress and strain in the foot. wear. It might not seem like a big deal, but continuous movement in improper 7. Reputation: Go to reputable stores. footwear can lead to serious ankle, knee, Running stores usually have salespeople who are very knowledgeable about hip and back problems. running- and cross-training shoes. For example, you begin a running program and soon after experience discom- 8. Ask: Contact your local podiatrist for fort in your knees. It’s possible that this questions or concerns you may have discomfort is a result of unhappy feet in about your feet or footwear. You will reimproper footwear. Before you start an ceive very knowledgeable information exercise program, make sure your feet about conditions of the foot, treatment options and proper shoe selection. are happy and ready to go.

Jasen A. Langley, DPM, AACFAS, a • Is it possible to swallow your tongue? member of the American Podiatric MediNo. The tongue is held firmly in place cal Association, recommends the followby the frenulum, the membrane that ing steps in selecting the proper footwear anchors your tongue to the bottom of for your activity level. your mouth. So despite what you may 1. Fit: This is the most important factor have heard, you should never try to in choosing footwear. You should be fitstick something inside the mouth of a ted by a knowledgeable shoe salesperperson having a seizure. son. Running shoes should always have • If I get frostbite, should I treat it by some room, since runners are susceptible to blisters. rubbing snow on it? No. In fact, don’t rub the affected skin at all – you’ll only cause more tissue damage. Frostbite requires immediate medical attention, but until it arrives, gently warm up the area with a dry mitten, scarf, or sock.

The denser the material, the more support there tends to be in the shoe.

2. Purpose: Buy the shoe that best fits your activity and activity level. 3. Brands: No single brand is better than another. Try various styles to determine which brand is stylish yet comfortable.

4. Support: Those “cool” colors in the • If I get shipwrecked and run out of fresh soles of sneakers are built into the shoe water, is it safe to drink sea water? for a reason. The colors represent differSwallowing a bit of salt water while ent densities of material. Rule of thumb:

Always consult a physician before beginning an exercise program. If you have a fitness or training question, write to Andrea in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475 (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

Tidbits® of South Bay Area

Sep 19 - Sep 25, 2008

Page 7

rise of yellow journalism forced his hand. When “Remember the Maine!” became the nation’s battle cry, McKinley acted against the Spanish. The treaty that ended the hostilities gave the U.S. new island territory to the south, notably Puerto Rico and the Philippine Islands. The president also pushed for the annexation of Hawaii, which gave the country a spot of land in the Pacific that would prove important for business and military purposes.

ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ TIDBITS

WILLIAM McKINLEY

You would think William McKinley would have been excited to become the first president to ride in an automobile. But, as it turned out, it was the last ride of his life. Read on to • Although he was able to win re-election find out more. in 1900, McKinley’s second term was cut short. He was assassinated by Leon • William McKinley was born on January Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio. He survived at in Buffalo, New York. McKinley’s trip to least one major scrape as a child, when the hospital in an electric ambulance? It a friend barely managed to rescue him marked the first time a U.S. president had from drowning. At age nine, William’s ridden in an automobile. He passed away family moved a few miles southeast to a week later, and vice president Teddy the nearby town of Poland, very near the Roosevelt took his place. Pennsylvania border. When he completed his studies, McKinley taught for a short WEEKLY FUNNIES while and spent one term at Allegheny (continued from page 3) College. At the age of 18, something more important came along: the Civil War. Dad always teased Mom about her lack William enlisted in the Union Army as a of interest in household chores. One day he came home with a gag gift, a refrigerator private. magnet that read: “Martha Stewart doesn’t • It didn’t take long for McKinley to move his live here.” The next day he came home to way up the Army ladder. He was promoted find that same magnet holding up a slip of to lieutenant for his service at Antietam, paper. The note read, “Neither does Bob and by 1864 had attained the rank of Villa.” captain. He became a member of General The man passed out in a dead faint as he Rutherford B. Hayes’ staff, leaving at came out of his front door onto the porch. the end of the War as a brevet general. Someone called 911. When the paramedics Upon his return home, William decided to arrived, they helped him regain consciousFILLER PAGE 2 prepare for a career in law. After studying ness and asked if he38 knew what caused him 3Q08 - WEEK in Albany, New York, he passed the bar, to faint. “It14was enough to make anybody - SEP 20 applied for an Ohio license, and opened faint,” SEP he said. “My son asked me for the an office in the city of Canton. keys to the garage, and instead of driving • McKinley joined the then-new Republican the car out, he came out with the lawn mowParty, and quickly became an important er.” large family, five sisters and proponent of the GOP in Ohio. He I come from aPRESENTS My sisters and I were lookcampaigned for Ulysses S. Grant,TRIVIA who three brothers. NEWSFRONT™ by Kara Kovalchik & Sandy Wood ing through the family photo album one day. won the presidency in 1868. A year later, 1. What liquid can you add to baking sodaall todressed in William felt that it was his time to run for Picture after picture, we were a volcanicclothes. eruption?I asked my mother why office. He successfully earned asimulate spot matching she dressed all alike, practiced right down as a county attorney. Then, McKinley 2. Entomology, a scienceus commonly at to the explained, “When we had just boosted his fortunes further by marrying home bybaby. kids, isShe the study of... what? Ida Saxton, whose father was a wealthy four children, I dressed you alike so we 3. Estes is a leading manufacturer of equipment for Canton banker. When he lost a reelection wouldn’t lose any of you. Then,” she added, what science-based hobby? bid by a handful of votes, he returned to looking at the pictures in the album, “when 4. The AAPT for teachers theprovides other fiveservices came along, I started dressing private practice. involvedyou in what branch of science? alike so we wouldn’t pick up any that • As the United States celebrated its don’t belong to us.” 5. Whattolong-running PBS science show has won centennial in 1876, McKinley chose One evening I was driving my eight-yearseveral Emmy Awards since its 1974 premiere? further his political ambitions by aiming herYOUR grandparents’ home for WANT TO to RUN OWN BUSINESS? for the U.S. House of Representatives. old daughter overnight there a stay. It was Paperlate, in Your Areawas He held the job for 15 years (save for one an Publish If You Can Provide: and Sales Experience · A Computer · very little traffic, we were enjoying a term) and pushed some major bills through Desktop Publishing Software · A Reasonable Financial Investment NUMBER PUZZLE peaceful ride. It was a far cry from the usuCongress. One of the most importantFill was We provide the opportunity for success! in thealgrid so that every column, every chaos surrounding us when I row, drive her the McKinley Tariff, which boosted the 3 x 3 boxCall 1.800.523.3096 and every contains the digits 1 through 9.My to various activities during rush hour. taxes on imported goods. http://www.tidbitsmedia.com daughter seemed deep in thought when • Though he lost the job in 1890, McKinley she said, “I have a question.” “What do you wasn’t out of work for long. He became want to know?” I responded. “Mom, when governor of Ohio the following year. you’re driving,” she asked, “are YOU ever When the country’s economy foundered the idiot?” under President Benjamin Harrison, the Republicans found an opportunity. They Information in the Tidbits Paper is gathered from sources considered to be reliable but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed. chose McKinley as their candidate for the 1896 race. His opponent, William Can’t Get Enough Tidbits? Jennings Bryan, pushed for reform. RESERVE NOW! To thank McKinley for protecting U.S. Send $24.95 (plus $5.00 S&H) by Check or Money Order to: interests – and to keep Bryan out of office Tidbits Media, Inc. – big business got behind McKinley and 1430 I-85 Parkway, Suite 301 Limited Edition Montgomery, AL 36106 Book Set helped propel him to victory. (800) 523-3096

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3 6 2 9 6 5 2T R I L O G Y

• McKinley had no desire to interfere with Cuba’s independence movement, but the

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT ANSWERS

Reprints of Books I, II, & III.

(Alabama residents add appropriate sales tax.)

1 6 8 2 8 4 7 5

NUMBER PUZZLE ANSWER

2 7 3 5 1 4 6 9

8 1 6 3 9 7 2 5

5 4 9 8 6 2 1 3

7 3 8 6 5 9 4 1

1 9 2 7 4 8 3 6

4 6 5 2 3 1 7 8

6 5 4 9 7 3 8 2

3 8 7 1 2 5 9 4

9 2 1 4 8 6 5 7

Tidbits® of South Bay Area

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Sep 19 - Sep 25, 2008

Laugh Lines! Grammar Rules...

• Don’t use no double negatives • Don’t never use no triple negatives. • No sentence fragments • Corollary: Complete sentences: important.

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This acclaimed book written by Michael Brasier is perfect for children and adults alike who enjoy reading about different countries and adventures through the eyes of a child.

The perfect book to read with your child.

• Stamp out and eliminate redundancy. • Avoid cliches like the plague. • All generalizations are bad. • Corollary: All statements must be specific. • Never listen to advice. • Take care that your verb and subject is in agreement. • A preposition is a bad thing to end a sentence with. • Avoid those run-on sentences that just go on, and on, and on, they never stop, they just keep rambling, and you really wish the person would just shut up, but no, they just keep going, they babble incessantly, and these sentences, they just never stop, they go on forever...if you get my drift... • Never contradict yourself always. • You should never use the second person. • When dangling, watch your participles. • Don’t use commas, which aren’t necessary. • Don’t be terse. • Never go off on tangents, which are lines that intersect a curve at only one point and were discovered by Euclid, who lived in the sixth century, which was an era dominated by the Goths, who lived in what we now know as Poland... • As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “I hate quotations.” • Excessive use of exclamation points can be disastrous!!!!! • Remember to end each sentence with a period

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• Don’t use question marks inappropriately? • Don’t obfuscate your theses with extraneous verbiage. • Never use that totally cool, radically groovy out-of-date slang. • Avoid tumbling off the cliff of triteness into the black abyss of overused metaphors. • Keep your ear to the grindstone, your nose to the ground, take the bull by the horns of a dilemma, and stop mixing your metaphors. • Avoid those abysmally horrible, outrageously repellent exaggerations.